Weight Training Equipment Ladson SC

Weight training is important to any exercise program as it helps strengthen muscles, improve balance and much more. Find out more about weights, resistance training, and other types of equipment used for weight training.

So really, what's the difference between a shrug bar and a trap bar? I found myself asking that very same question, and do you know what I found out? Honestly, not much. The difference lies purely in the legal realm.

Weight plates for standard barbells come as plastic-coated or naked cast iron plates. It was here I learned a hard lesson. Initially I purchased plastic-coated standard plates because I found a set for a very affordable price. However, what I didn't know then was that plastic-coated plates have a tendency to become unequal over time.

Speaking as a person who spends most of their day typing away at a computer, I've suffered the ramifications of what I like to refer to as keyboarditis. Obviously, this is a comical jab at the soreness experienced in my wrists from hours of typing on a less than ergonomically correct keyboard, but many of us aren't aware of all the body parts that come into play when we simply type.

If you aren't familiar with old fashioned biceps curls, they're basically performed standing up straight with your palms facing forward, and a pair of dumbbells held down at either side of your body. As you contract each bicep you bend your elbow, bringing the dumbbell toward you at shoulder level in a series of repetitions.

Abdominal slings encourage the toning, trimming and conditioning of the entire abdominal area. And don't worry an ab sling won't strain your lower back, it'll actually help a bad back by stretching the muscles and decompressing the spine during exercise.

Exercises done on a decline bench imagine yourself lying slanted downward can turn your workouts up a notch. Plus, if regular flat crunches haven't been working for you then doing the same old exercise at a declined angle will shock your muscles with something new and get them working harder.

Ankle straps are a type of cable attachment that attaches to a low pulley for performing exercises like hip/leg extensions, flexions, inner and outer thigh exercises and glute kickbacks. The other end wraps around your ankle.

Getting a barbell rack is all well and good, but if you have children it's probably best to play it safe and install a gate or locked door on your gym so they can't access it unsupervised. After all, even if there aren't weights on the floor for kids to trip over they can still get caught up in machines or injure themselves if they try and roll a weight off of a rack.

If you aren't familiar with old fashioned biceps curls, they're basically performed standing up straight with your palms facing forward, and a pair of dumbbells held down at either side of your body. As you contract each bicep you bend your elbow, bringing the dumbbell toward you at shoulder level in a series of repetitions.

Cable crossover machines basically resemble a frame with two pulleys at either side, one at the top and one at the bottom. Weight stacks are used to create resistance on the pulleys and a variety of attachments are used accommodate exercises from lat pull downs to triceps press downs.

Chin-ups, or pull-ups as they're sometimes called, are a great exercise to strengthen your back, biceps and entire upper body in general. Chin-up bars that are secured in a doorway range from about $20 to $50 online (wall mounted versions start at about $85).

Combo bars offers a more comfortable alternative to performing traditional bicep/triceps curls, deadlifts, squats, bench and shoulder presses with a straight barbell. After using a combo bar I noticed an absence of any stress placed on my lower back. Also, combo bars offer more than one grip option so you can isolate the bicep or triceps muscles specifically.

Basic freestanding dip stations consist of a solid metal frame, solid base and 2 parallel dip bars coated with slip-proof rubber grip for about $100 online. A weight belt or dipping belt can be added around the user's waist if they want to dip more than their body weight.

Think of dumbbell hooks as your training partner your mammoth training partner one that would be able to hand you a 100-pound dumbbell with ease when you're flat down on a bench and ready to press. Many people who resistance train often complain that they could perform more reps if only they didn't have to keep making trips back and forth to the rack to get heavy weights, or worse, having to heave them up off the floor before each set.

Read this article on dumbbells and learn more about weight training equipment. The dumbbell is basically just a shorter version of the barbell (from 8-inches to 14-inches long). What's so great about them is that you can do pretty much all the same exercises with them that you can with barbells and more.

If you're surprised you can even do one bench press rep, let alone worrying about doing it in an inclined position, then a flat bench might be all you can handle for the time being. Read on for more details.

Grip strength is just as important, and sometime more important, to certain sports. In activities such as martial arts and wrestling grip strength is essential to grappling and taking down your opponent; whereas with sports like football, catching and holding on to the ball is vital.

Hex-shaped dumbbells feature raised numbers on their heads so you can easily identify and grab them to perform exercises. Read on this article on hex dumbbells and learn more about weight training equipment.

Weight benches are such an integral tool in my weight training workouts. As a fan of dumbbell exercises, I find that just by adjusting the angle of the bench a little bit I can target an entirely different muscle group.

Kettlebells are not a new invention. In fact, they were used hundreds of years ago by legendary Soviet strongmen such as Arthur Saxon, who performed his famous 448-pound "Two Hands Anyhow" lift with kettlebells. Today, Russian Special Forces still perform military drills with kettlebells.

A lat machine is just one way to strengthen those lateral muscles. Many choose to include lat machines among their home gym equipment for doing exercises such as lat pulls and rows that you can't perform effectively without a pulley machine.

For those of you who aren't sure what rows are, they are a great exercise for training your back. The triangle grip offered by the low grip bar isolates the rhomboids (middle back) and lats (or outer back) muscles. Just remember, to avoid back injury when performing this exercise, your back should remain motionless, upright and maintain a slight arch to lessen any stress on your lower back.

In reality you can get in a full workout at home without store-bought fitness equipment. All it takes is a little ingenuity. So, the next time you see a plywood box or a plastic milk crate at the side of the road, don't pass it by.

Read an excellent article on multi-purpose benches and learn about weight training equipment. multi-purpose weight bench with an adjustable back pad and bottom pad will offer you the adaptability to perform a variety of exercises in the incline, decline and flat positions.

Muscle clamps are the trademark name for a poplar type of weight collar. I see them at the gym all the time. Weight clamps, like weight collars, hold your weight plates securely on either end of your dumbbell. I have no doubt that you can already see how vital a reliable set of collars is when you're balancing 45-pound weight plates on either side of your head.

you're looking to purchase an Olympic bench for your home gym, you may be a little confused by the various styles available to you under the Olympic designation. Now there is a ton of debate between what Olympic lifting versus weightlifting versus powerlifting versus bodybuilding are, but for right now let's keep it simple for those just starting to work out.

We have extensive information about Olympic plates and so much more. Olympic plates take their name from the sport of Olympic weightlifting. They are type used during professional competitions and typically the style found in commercial gyms and power lifting clubs.

If you've already guessed that a lat bar targets your Latissimus Dorsi or more simply your "lats", you'd be correct. The lat muscles are found in your outer back and are responsible for aiding many pushing and pulling activities that your body performs every day.

Pec-dec exercises are performed sort of like flies, but while sitting up and facing forward with your elbows bent at right angles. When performing one rep on a pec deck machine you sit, facing forward, with your elbows bent at 90 degrees, arms are shoulder width apart. Pushing against the resistance of the weight, you bring your upper arms and elbows together so they almost meet in the middle of your chest.

I'll be honest with you power racks aren't very hot home gym items. Their existence is confined mostly to power lifting gyms and health clubs that can accommodate what's typically a 6-foot long, 5-foot wide and 7-foot tall steel monster. However, despite their grandiose stature, bringing a power rack home is the ideal solution for those who simply want to gain strength and muscle mass, but who might have limited time to hit the gym.

This article is about preacher curl benches and other weight training equipment. Resistance exercises called preacher curls are performed on this slanted bench that looks sort of like a preacher's pulpit.

You don't have to tell me that buying equipment for your home gym can be overwhelming. What doesn't help is that gym rats and weight lifters sometimes take it upon themselves to dub the equipment they use by cute little nicknames. This only adds more confusion to the equation. At the gym I constantly hear lifters tossing around terms like "fixed" versus "solid" versus "pro-style" dumbbells.

Push-up bars are excellent tools for getting different hand positions and varying angles on your push-up performance. With push-up bars you can make a slight change in the angle of your hands positioning or hand width to target a whole different set of upper body muscles.

If you wandered into a gym recently then I don't doubt that you've seen people working out with resistance bands. Entire fitness classes even fitness videos are dedicated to them. Read on to view more details.

Resistance training refers to working against the force of gravity. Think of it as pitting your muscles against weight. When you apply resistance you are directly opposing your moving limbs. For instance, as muscle effort pulls the weight towards the body, resistance (barbell, dumbbell) simultaneously moves it away from the body.

Resistance training can pit your muscles against more then just a weight machine, dumbbell or a pair of barbells. Learn what you need to know about other types of resistance training at Fitness Gear 101.

Even though the rope can be harder to handle than other cable attachments, you'll find that once you get used to it, the flexibility of a rope will have you using it as your sole triceps press-down attachment. I even prefer it over a swivel bar , but it's really a personal choice.

What are referred to as rubber dumbbells have a thick foam rubber padding around the entire dumbbell, but some styles just rubberize the actual weighted ends. Overall, rubber dumbbells typically have fixed ends and you need to purchase an entire set for weight variances.

the straight bar is still more popular than the V-bar or rope for performing triceps press0downs. This is because lifters who are after adding mass find they can handle a lot more weight with a straight bar because of its rigid position.

So really, what's the difference between a shrug bar and a trap bar? I found myself asking that very same question, and do you know what I found out? Honestly, not much. The difference lies purely in the legal realm.

I like to think of spot racks as my pillars of power, my tower of strength when I squat or bench a weight that I'm not totally convinced I can handle or when I want to max out my repetitions and I don't have a human spotter for support.

I like to refer to squats as lower body burners. Yes, squats make your quads and glutes burn. In fact, I often emerge from 3 sets of squats with legs like Gumby, but the definition they've given my lower body make them totally worth every ounce of grief.

Squats blast the muscles in your glutes, hips, quadriceps, adductors (commonly called the inner thighs) and hamstrings. Secondary muscles that support you during a squat are your claves, lower back, abdominals and the obliques. Just ask any lady who's performed road-side relief and she'll tell you that squatting resonates through your entire lower half.

A barbell and complete set of plates works the same as a complete set of dumbbells, but rather then shifting to an entire new set of dumbbells when you want to change weights, you simply adjust the plates on either end of the same bar and lock them in place with weight collars or clamp. Read on to learn more about standard bars.

Dumbbell racks accommodate a full set of dumbbells ranging from 5- to 100-pounds. A set of dumbbells increases in increments of 5-pounds (for example one set includes two 5-dumbbells, 2 10-pound dumbbells, 2 15-pound dumbbellsand so on) that's a whole lotta landmines to stumble over.

Weight plates for standard barbells come as plastic-coated or naked cast iron plates. It was here I learned a hard lesson. Initially I purchased plastic-coated standard plates because I found a set for a very affordable price. However, what I didn't know then was that plastic-coated plates have a tendency to become unequal over time.

To perform cable crossovers, stirrup handle attachments are used. These were named for their resemblance to stirrups used for riding horses. These heavy-duty metal cable attachments are mostly used for doing cable crossover exercises.

If you have the luxury of a multi gym at home then I highly suggest purchasing attachments in addition to the rigid lat bar that was included with your initial purchase. Read on to find more information.

Speaking as a person who spends most of their day typing away at a computer, I've suffered the ramifications of what I like to refer to as keyboarditis. Obviously, this is a comical jab at the soreness experienced in my wrists from hours of typing on a less than ergonomically correct keyboard, but many of us aren't aware of all the body parts that come into play when we simply type.

The upright position is ideal for targeting your shoulders and back. That's why you'll rarely see an upright bench free in your local gym or power lifting club. But aside from the fact that the upright position is ripe for putting mass on the upper bodies of weight lifters, using an upright utility bench is safe practice for those just starting to resistance train.

The V-bar cable attachment is another really great bar for doing triceps press-downs. I can't count how many times an uncomfortable grip on a rigid bar has made for this gym rat a miserable set of triceps press-downs.

Whoever came up with the vertical dumbbell rack is a space-efficient genius. I almost kicked myself after purchasing my 3-tiered dumbbell rack when I think of the space I would have saved in my little apartment with a vertical model.

In reality, weight belts are common fixtures on the waists of power lifters, body builders and professional weight lifters. They're used to support the lower backs of lifters who routinely perform exercises that are rough on the lower back exercises like squats, deadlifts (especially stiff-legged deadlifts) and barbell lunges.

If you prefer to work out alone, like I do, then an Olympic weight bench with an attachable rack for holding a barbell will also double as your spotter. If you're intent on targeting specific muscle groups then abdominal benches , preacher curl benches and upright weight benches will be used aplenty in your home gym.

I think of weightlifting accessories as weightlifting aids because they make things easier for the user. Let me start by stating my opinion on weight accessories and I'll let you be the judge from there. For me, I try to use the least amount of weightlifting accessories possible when I work out. I believe in slow, but steady progress and letting my body adapt to changes like lifting heavier weights gradually.

Most of you know that there are two types of weight plates the constantly-touted Olympic plate and the good old standard weight plate. The basic difference is that Olympics the ones typically found in gyms have a 2-inch center hole, while standard plates the ones typically used in home gyms have slightly smaller middle holes at 1-inch.

Weight racks do their part by keeping loose barbells and dumbbells off the floor and secure so you're not tripping over them to get to machines and benches, and so you're not stacking them loosely against a wall or on top of furniture so they can roll off and fall onto the floor or worse, onto you.

Weight training is especially important for those of us who are 30 years of age and older. A bi-weekly bout of weight training can help to reverse the natural decline in your metabolism. It also offers excess energy and strengthens bones, which for older women will lessen your risks of developing osteoporosis.

What the heck is a weight tree? That's exactly what I thought after I first wandered into the weight room at my local gym. I had grabbed a few dumbbells and the only free spot in front of the mirror when I heard someone say don't stand in front of the weight tree!

Do you ever wonder how firefighters build their calendar-ready physiques? It's from carrying around all of that extra gear. Weight-vest training is built on this same type of strength, muscle and bone density-building principle.

Weightlifting chalk, also called powdered grip, is typically used on the hands of gymnasts and professional weightlifters to reduce the friction when contact is made with equipment. Grip enhancers, like chalk, are often applied to bare hands and feet, weightlifting gloves and the bottoms of shoes to increase traction where a clean, non-slip grip gives an athlete an advantage.

When I started incorporating weight lifting into my workouts, it wasn't the soreness in my muscles that surprised me I was prepared for that it was the nasty blisters on the palms of my hands. Believe me folks, my hands are not Palmolive soft and I'm not the kind of girl who gets her nails done, but nothing will deter you from weightlifting more than looking down a rack of dumbbells with chafed and painful hands.

Like weight belts, you should only use straps when you absolutely need to. To avoid looking like a fool don't use them during your warm-up sets or for exercises that everyone else knows you don't require them for such as chest presses or bicep curls.

Here are 3 balance board exercises that I'd recommend for beginners or those undergoing rehab. Hold onto a chair at first, until you get used to the unstable board. Once you've mastered these, you can try doing the same 3 exercises while kneeling on the board.